Subject: Black River Great Blue Heron Colony Action Alert
Date: Feb 6 00:20:40 2004
From: suzanne krom - szkrom at juno.com


ALERT
Your comments are needed!
65 houses proposed for hillside; Development Application submitted to
City of Renton


Dear Friends:

The great blue herons of the Black River Riparian Forest in Renton need
your help. A housing development proposed for the hillside next to the
heron colony threatens the birds' nesting habitat. (Please see below for
background information.) The good news is that the hillside has been
rezoned from 260 apartment units to 65 single-family houses. The bad news
is that any development will still impact the herons' habitat.


Please take a few minutes now to write a letter. Time is short and your
letters are essential! Renton will not act to protect the heron colony
unless they receive your letters letting them know that you care about
Black River and do not want to see the herons' habitat destroyed. If they
receive 300 letters, they cannot ignore us. It is imperative that you
write. See talking points for your letters below. The herons thank you!

**PUBLIC COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2004*
--If they arrive late, Renton said they will accept them. Please send
your letters no later than 2/18.

Send comments by mail or fax (email NOT accepted) to:
Jason Jordan
Development Services Division
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98055
(425) 430-7300 FAX
(425) 430-7219 Phone

Subject: Sunset Bluff preliminary plat, Land use number LUA04-002, ECF,
PP


Talking Points
1) The proposed development on the hillside next to the Black River
Riparian Forest threatens the largest great blue heron colony in King,
Snohomish and Pierce counties. This past season there were approximately
135 active great blue heron nests.

2) Any development on the hillside must undergo comprehensive studies to
determine the environmental impacts to the herons and their nesting
habitat.

3) The developer must be required to mitigate to the highest extent
possible the environmental impacts to the herons' habitat, e.g.
water/sediment runoff, disturbance from people and domestic pets, and
light and noise pollution.

4) The City should require seasonal timing restriction on any
construction work. Clearing, grading, and outside construction work must
be performed during the non-nesting season. If it is not, it will result
in a disastrous season for the herons.

5) The Black River Riparian Forest is an economic asset, as well as a
natural asset to the City of Renton. People who visit Black River to see
the herons also frequent local businesses. By providing wildlife habitat
within an urban setting, Renton is an excellent example of a city that
values both its citizens and wildlife.

6) Add any information you like that tells Renton why the Black River
Riparian Forest and great blue heron colony are important to you. You can
write a sentence or two, a personal story, ... anything that's personal.
This may well be the most important part of your letter, and is the
reason you are taking the time to write to Renton. Black River is a place
of the heart, where we seek beauty, quiet time, and to connect with
nature.

Background Information
The hillside next to the herons' habitat at the 93-acre Black River
Riparian Forest is privately owned. It was originally zoned for 260
apartment units, but was recently rezoned for up to 69 single-family
houses.

While the rezone is an improvement, any development will impact the
herons' nesting habitat. Our goal is to minimize these impacts to the
highest extent possible. An application to develop the hillside for 65
houses was submitted this week to the City of Renton. Renton now needs to
determine what, if any, studies need to be done for environmental
impacts.

We need to pressure Renton to do a thorough assessment of the
environmental impacts and require the developer to provide the highest
level of mitigation possible.

Once the deadline for comments has passed, a hearing date will be set for
a formal hearing on the development proposal. The hearing has been
tentatively scheduled for the third week in March. We will send another
email with details once the date is set.

Suzanne Krom, President
Herons Forever
Seattle, WA
mailto: szkrom at juno.com

2/3/2004 Note: This morning we saw a Brown Creeper foraging for insects
on this hillside. During the summer months, we see Pileated Woodpeckers,
Great horned Owls, and even alligator lizards. All frogs on this site are
tree frogs. The bullfrogs haven't discovered it yet. This hillside is
surprisingly pristine, consisting of old growth big leaf maples,
snowberry, and other native vegetation that forms rich canopies for
wildlife. It's exquisite, a hidden treasure tucked between industrial and
office development. If you would like a field trip, let me know!
Suzanne Krom, szkrom at juno.com
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